Sets used as edging - In first or last ? to haunch or not?

[Wildfang]

Thanks to everyone who helped with my last thread (patio first timer sub-bed or not, mortar or not)

I am starting this new thread as I still have some last questions on which I would really appreciate some help.

At the end of my last thread, Colin advised that I should lay my flags first and sets last.......

Should I wet mortar the sets direct to the sub-base or to the dry-bed 10:1 layer atop the sub-base (or perhaps just add a bit of sand to the sub-base for the purpose of mortaring in the sets)?

Do I need to haunch the sets (Colin advised yes before) ? In my case, on the other side of the sets there will be the mass of clay soil under my lawn. If I do need to haunch - what with - more of the same wet mortar ? concrete? and how would I hide this haunching bit under the lawn itself?

Also I'm of the opinion that if the sets will act as my mortared in edging, I will not need to wet bed the outside edge flags. That being the case, I assumed I should lay the SETS FIRST in their wet mortar, then, when dry, mortar joint them, THEN lay 10:1 dry bed followed by flags. ??

Cheers WF

[Mark B]

if you are going to haunch your sets then just cut out the grass in patches slightly wider than the slab base and then once you are finished the haunching, just backfill and replace the grass you previously cut out, within a week or two the joins will be almost unnoticable

[bobhughes]

You could lay the edge first, as you would if it were block paving, but with flags it will be harder to get the free edge in exactly the right place to avoid cutting flags to fit.

Set the level with a piece of timber, lay the flags, lay the setts on wet cement on the base with a haunch as per the main site advice.

The answers are all here